Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that is normally associated with military combat veterans. Specifically, it is classified as an anxiety disorder that sometimes occurs after being exposed to a traumatic or terrifying event or incident. The Mayo Clinic defines PTSD as a mental health condition that 's triggered by a terrifying event. It is also defined as an anxiety disorder that can develop after the exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened (Staff, 2014). PTST affects a significant number of our military combat veterans; it can affect anyone who has been subjected to such things as terror events, natural disasters, domestic violence, serious traffic …show more content…
As this paper will reflect, PTSD has both short and long term consequences and reaches far beyond those who have the disorder. Emotionally and financially, PTSD affects all of our lives in some form, whether from being exposed to the symptoms of a friend or loved one to the financial burden the disorder places on our society to treat those with the disorder. The symptoms of PTSD are very broad and can be very mild to severe. Persons who suffer from the disorder can have unwanted memories of an incident, bad dreams or nightmares, emotional numbness, guilt, emotional outbursts, feeling on edge, and over worrying. Other symptoms may include sleep related problems and being able to maintain both personal and professional relationships. Statistics indicate that those diagnosed with PTSD continues to grow. An estimated 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, 10% of Gulf War veterans, and 30% of Vietnam veterans have experienced PTSD (ptsdunited.org). PTSD does not always appear in close proximity of a traumatic event. In some cases, symptoms may not appear until years after an event. However, whenever they do appear, symptoms of PTSD can cause significant problems in both professional and personal relationships of those experiencing the disorder. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults,
The diagnosis of PTSD requires one or more symptoms from three main categories. The first category is re-experiencing the event. This can include reliving the event through nightmares, upsetting thoughts, flashbacks, or anything that can remind the person of the traumatic event, making them have physical and mental reactions ("Post-traumatic Stress," 2014). Next, the second category is avoidance. The individual will avoid thoughts, activities, or conversations that can remind them of the traumatic event. The third stage to diagnose PTSD is increased arousal in your life including, a loss of interest in important things you need such as decreased sleep and being unable to concentrate in your day to day life ("Post-traumatic Stress," 2014). Major depression, substance abuse, and panic can also correlate with PTSD. This diagnosis requires these symptoms to be bad enough to interfere with your daily life and last at least a month.
PTSD, or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of a life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adult or childhood. Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individuals may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s daily life.
Many people experience PTSD symptoms shortly after the traumatic event, but that is not always the case. Some veterans do not experience symptoms until later in life. Others will start experiencing symptoms early, and they will continue to have symptoms until later in their life. Additionally, many veterans will have symptoms right after the event, the symptoms will go away and then come back later in life with a vengeance.
For example, previous psychological problems or a family history of anxiety disorders may increase an individual’s chance of developing PTSD after he or she experiences a trauma… however, this disorder can develop in individuals without any predisposing conditions, particularly if the stressor is especially extreme (56).
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as “a development of characteristic long-term symptoms following a psychologically traumatic event that is generally outside the range of usual human experience” (Nordqvist, 1). Simply put, it is a type of anxiety that affects a patient after a traumatic
Not every traumatized person develops ongoing (chronic) or even short-term (acute) PTSD. Not everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Some experiences, like the sudden, unexpected death of a love one, can also cause PTSD.
PTSD is a psychological problem that affects people who have survived a traumatic experience. When a person experiences a traumatic event in their life, that event leaves a type of scar on their mind. Unlike physical scars, psychological scars may not heal and the person may be unaware of their symptoms. While these “scars” may not be obvious at first, they may cause problems later in life, sometimes months or years later. This makes recognizing the disorder difficult. However, much research in recent years has increased people’s knowledge of the symptoms of PTSD. It was first defined as a disorder in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (Galea et al., 2005).
According to National Center for PTSD (Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder), “it is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault”. Lamentably, PTSD can happen to anyone, and it is not a sign of weakness. There are a number of factors that can increase the chance that someone getting will have PTSD, many of which are not under that person 's control. For example, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during an event can make it more likely that the person will develop PTSD. PTSD can manifest as nightmares, intense remembrances of the event challenge their ability to fall or stay asleep, feelings of unreasonable anger and constant edginess. Victims often avoid the situation that may produce thoughts or memories of the traumatic event. Even though PTSD is often associated with soldiers, police officers, and other emergency personnel involved in life-threatening situations, the disorder can be triggered by any overwhelming experience. Analyzing
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing a dangerous and/or terrifying event (Psychology Today, 2015). PTSD is associated with changes in brain function and structure and these changes provide clues to the causes, treatment, and prevention of PTSD (PTSD United, 2013). This condition can appear at any age and currently affects about 7.7 million American adults (Psychology Today, 2015). Before 1980, the legitimacy of PTSD was debated by the general public as well as health professionals (PTSD United, 2013). At one point in time, it was considered a psychological condition of combat veterans who were dismayed by and unable to deal with their experiences on the battlefield (PTSD United, 2013).
The major symptoms characterizing PTSD include; anxiety and extreme fear occurring when the person experiences events that resemble the original trauma. Exposure to the trauma usually triggers a lot of fear, terror and a sense of helplessness leading to the individual suffering major depression.
People who are under a lot of stress constantly can develop PTSD because it messes with your emotional and physical stability. When people witness any of these events that can cause Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, they should talk to someone right away to lower their chances of developing PTSD.
First, I think it is very important that we have a clear definition of what PTSD is. Getzfeld & Schwartz (2012) defined PTSD as, ““An anxiety disorder that typically occurs after being exposed to a traumatic event such as war or violence; warning signs consist of: anxiety, the avoidance of stimuli linked with the trauma, flashbacks in which the traumatic event is relived mentally, and a "numbing" of emotional responses” (Getzfeld & Schwartz, 2012).
War, tragedy, and trauma; life altering situations such as these may cause someone to feel unsafe for the rest of their life. A symptom that may come about from these types of situations is something known as PTSD. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a symptom that may occur after an individual is subjected to a traumatic event in which they were exposed to physical harm or the threat of harm. PTSD may stem from many causes and usually involves situations where an individual does not have full control over what is occurring. Every situation is different and the intensity of the disorder may range from a very mild case to a life-threatening situation. Individuals with PTSD typically possess this condition throughout their lifetime with no known cure that has yet been established.
The more severe or chronic symptoms of PTSD can include but are not limited to; flashbacks were they relive the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time, reacting as though the events were still occurring. Have an increased tendency and reaction to being startled, and a disproportionate suspicion to threat along with shame or guilt and irritability or anger. They may also suffer the inability to experience pleasure, feel emotionally numb, and a reduced interest in activities they once enjoyed. Have poor concentration, difficulty remembering things, and experience hearing or seeing things that are not there. Furthermore, it is common for them to develop poor self-esteem, have poor relationships, self-destructive behavior, hopelessness about the future, substance abuse, and anti social behavior along with depression. Soldiers with PTSD may tend to avoid people, places, and things that remind them of the event. They often avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event, seek isolation, and are highly sensitive to normal life experiences. Chief complaints in patients diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder include two major symptoms: anxiety, which causes an abnormal reaction to loud noises and difficulty sleeping due to repeated nightmares.
People that suffer from PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and memories of the frightening event and feel emotionally numb. This especially happens with people they were once close to. They may experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled.